Naxals strike in Chhattisgarh, 11 dead

Eleven people, including two CRPF personnel and five Special Police Officers, were killed on Wednesday when Naxals triggered a landmine blast in Dantewada district around 500 km south of Raipur. Ejaz Kaiser reports.

Eleven people, including two CRPF personnel and five Special Police Officers (SPOs), were killed on Wednesday when Naxals triggered a landmine blast in Dantewada district around 500 km south of Raipur.

The blast blew up a tractor trolley in which the victims were travelling. All the eleven died on the spot near Sirguda village. The killed CRPF men were identified as sub-inspector Omprakash and constable Atma Ram.

The Dantewada superintendent of police Rahul Sharma told HT that the eleven killed included four civilians. Three SPOs were critically injured and rushed to the hospital, he added.

“The forces were returning after delivering ration and other essential supplies at the Bheji Police Station. There were over 100 cops on their way back when a few of them boarded the ill-fated civilian tractor and fell victim to the blast detonated by the Naxals,” said Sharma.